The Fed rule on debit card fees could have far-reaching effects on how consumers spend and save.
The debit card battle between retailers and banks has reached epic proportions. The plan by lawmakers is to slash the fees retailers pay banks every time a shopper uses a debit card. Both sides are spending millions of dollars to convince lawmakers that they’re looking out for average Americans.
Continue reading… “What Effect Will the Cut in Debit Card Fees Have on Consumers?”
The tragedy of the commons in action.
One of the most perverse tenets of the economic model that most of the globe adheres to is that extracting natural resources or doing damage to ecosystems is “free”. Bottled water companies don’t pay for the water they extract, lumber outfits don’t pay for the trees they chop down, automakers don’t pay for the air pollution they generate, Big Oil doesn’t pay for the oil it extracts, and so on and so forth. This problem, known as the tragedy of the commons, is one that’s been an ugly thorn in capitalism’s side from the get-go. For the most part, we deal with it by imposing restrictions on how much companies can pollute, creating environmental protection agencies to enforce such restrictions, and by designating nature preserves to shield nature from corporate claws. But it’s not working…
Continue reading… “Are We One Step Closer to Pricing Nature?”
Exactly how long do you want your pet to stay around?
Grieving pet owners are turning to a US woman to give their lost loved ones eternal life by making them into mummies. PD Cagliastro is one of few in the US offering animal mummification services based on the ancient Egyptian art It took her 20 years to perfect her formula by studying embalming, consulting with chemistry students and reading the few scraps of ancient Egyptian texts available on the subject.
“It was a sick fascination,” said Ms Cagliastro, who works and lives in her “house of death” with her teenage daughter and her husband, an exterminator…
Continue reading… “Woman Makes Mummies for Bereaved Pet Owners”
Help keep the Busuu language alive.
Busuu is a language that is only spoken by eight people in the world (according to Wikipedia this may be as low as three people as of 2005) in Cameroon. To help save this dying language the folks at Busuu.com have created a music video in the Busuu language.
Continue reading… “Busuu: A Language That Only 8 People Speak”
Like a drop on a wine glass, a snake venom “tear” runs down the groove of the fang.
The surface tension acting on the venom is the dominant physical force underlying envenomation.
Most snakes do not inject venom into their victims bodies using hollow fangs, contrary to common misconceptions. The fact is that most snakes and many other venomous reptiles have no hollow fangs. Physicists have now uncovered the tricks these animals use to force their venom under the skin of their victims.
For years Professor Leo von Hemmen, a biophysicist at the TU Muenchen, and Professor Bruce Young, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, have been researching the sense of hearing in snakes. While discussing the toxicity of their snakes, it dawned on them that only few snakes inject their venom into their victims’ bodies using hollow fangs. Yet, even though the vast majority of venomous reptiles lack hollow fangs, they are effective predators.
Only around one seventh of all venomous snakes, like the rattlesnake, rely on the trick with the hollow fang. The vast majority has developed another system…
Since the debut of the iPad, tablets have captured the imagination of consumers. In just one year, the iPad surpassed even the most optimistic of projections to define a brand new product category and become the best-selling gadget of all time, and Forrester analysts project that in 2011, tablet sales will more than double.
But are tablets ready for the classroom? Though tablets have caught on with consumers, the higher education market has been slower to adopt, and understandably so. From grades to degrees to job placement after graduation, the devices that are used in classrooms are tied to important outcomes…
Continue reading… “6 Reasons Why Tablets Are Ready for the Classroom”
Obesity ‘master switch’ found.
A gene linked to diabetes and cholesterol has been found by scientists. It is a “master switch” that controls other genes found in fat in the body, and say it should help in the search for treatments for obesity-related diseases.
Sales tax is a a system that is now on the verge of collapse
Futurist Thomas Frey: As a general rule, extreme levels of complexity take a significant toll on society. The price we pay for complexity is far greater than the money involved. With upwards of 90,000 separate taxing districts in the U.S. sales tax has become an overly complicated system deeply entrenched in the fabric of society, but woefully out of touch with the times.
Matt Drudge
The No. 1 source of referral traffic to major news sites in the United States is Google. Google provides approximately 30% of the traffic to these sites.
Continue reading… “Matt Drudge – Most Powerful Man on the Web”
The results of the tests might also be of interest to companies offering life-insurance policies or medical coverage.
A controversial blood test that can show how fast someone is aging – and offers the tantalizing possibility of estimating how long they have left to live – is to go on sale to the general public in Britain later this year.
Continue reading… “Controversial $615 Test That Tells You How Long You Will Live”
China launched a pilot pension program as part of efforts to narrow the standard-of-living gap between rural and urban residents.
China plans to expand a piloted pension program to 60 percent of its rural areas this year, an increase from the original target of 40 percent, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang said Friday.
Continue reading… “China Expands It’s Pension Program to Cover 60% of Rural Areas”
I like dandelions, I’ll admit it. I love the fact that they provide an important spring nectar source for beneficial insects. I appreciate their bright blossoms, which currently blanket several median strips in my neighborhood. Nearly every part of the plant is edible. And maybe the most delicious way to enjoy your dandelions is to make a batch of dandelion jelly.
Continue reading… “Use Your Dandelions: Make Dandelion Jelly”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.